On January 2, the People’s Committee of Tien Giang province, in cooperation with Vietnam-Cuba friendship of Ho Chi Minh City, held a ceremony on the 52nd anniversary of Cuba's national day, and the 48th anniversary of Ap Bac victory of Tien Giang army and the people. Cuban Consult General in HCM city, Gabriel Perez Tarrau spoke with a reporter from the SGGP Newspaper on January 1, his country's national day.

Speaking at the ceremony, Cuban Consult General in HCM city, Gabriel Perez Tarrau, told that this year the Cuban people will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Cuban revolution.  He said he held great optimism and a firm confidence for the future. This year, Cuba will organize in April, the sixth congress of the Cuban Communist Party.

Mr. Tarrau said, “Cuba thoroughly realized that Cuba should change all that must be changed. This is a vital command. In this renewal process, Cuba has learned much from the experience and hope it receives from Vietnam”.

In his speech, Nguyen Van Khang, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Tien Giang province, stressed that on 1st January 1959, the Cuba's revolution succeeded, after more than a century of fighting for national independence. Cuba's revolution, led by Comrade Fidel Castro, brought a new political system better suited for the country, and established independence and equality for the Cuban people.

Cuban revolution has strengthened the cause of national liberation for Vietnam. The Ap Bac victory of Tien Giang army and people against US imperialists and the Saigon regime, as well as the Giron victory over the US interventionists and Cuba exiles forces in 1961, marked a turning point in the struggle for independence and freedom for the two peoples. The Brigade 261, in the Ap Bac victory, was gloriously named the ‘Giron Brigade’.

Also on this occasion, Cuban Ambassador Fredesman Turro Gonzalez, said that the socio-economic development plan, which is to be approved by the sixth congress of the Cuban Communist Party in April 2011, focuses on attracting foreign investment, developing and updating a negotiable investment list for foreigners, and establishing Special Economic Development Zones. These zones are expected to help increase the export values, replace imports, develop high technology projects and regional development projects, and to create more jobs.

Cuba is now updating its development model. Its economic policies in the new period are adopting the principle that only socialism can help the country-overcome challenges and protect the Revolution's outcomes. However, reforms in conception and structure will be made to assist Cuba out of its current external and internal difficulties, and to motivate the country's development.

He added that Cuba's current economic reforms would benefit Cuba-Viet Nam co-operation in economics, trade and investment. After a period without any external difficulties, we had a year filled with cultural exchanges. Mr. Gonzalez said, “We published a book entitled ‘Memories of Uncle Ho’ and this year there will be a large book fair where we will introduce a book about ‘General Vo Nguyen Giap’ and a book on ‘Uncle Ho’. We also plan to publish the Diary of Dang Thuy Tram in Cuba. In Cuba, people love reading about Viet Nam. Unfortunately, after the 1990s, the country had many difficulties, which reduced book publishing. Despite the overall gloomy economy, there have been many signs of development and recovery, and we have started to publish more books again. We have given Vietnam the priority to publish Vietnamese books. The most-wanted books are now about history and culture. We have not published many works on literature. We already published some war literature books, including a ‘Hon Dat’ novel by Anh Duc. We hope to publish at least one Vietnamese book every year. This year we expect to publish a book about the 1,000 years of Thang Long. This is in order help Cubans, and particularly the La Havana people, to understand more about the history of Hanoi.”